Progressive Caucus chair backs amendment as party faces primary fallout
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told fellow Democrats on Tuesday that he plans to vote against an amendment to cut all U.S. aid to Israel, wading into a divisive debate that is splitting the party ahead of a House vote expected this week.
Jeffries, in a letter circulated among Democrats and reported by the New York Times, called the amendment introduced by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky “overly broad,” warning it could cut off funding for humanitarian aid programs and complicate efforts to counter militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah. He accused House Republican leaders of “trying to weaponize an amendment they do not support for nakedly partisan reasons.” Jeffries said he would not launch a formal whip effort to sway his caucus, citing “the strongly held views throughout the caucus in this important area of foreign policy.”
The proposed amendment would halt $3.3 billion in U.S. assistance to Israel — the majority of which goes to its military — as part of legislation funding the State Department and related agencies for the coming fiscal year. It comes as Democrats grapple with a rebellion among their voters over the party’s support for Israel, which has fueled the defeats of several congressional incumbents in recent primaries.
Jeffries also called for a “major reset” in U.S.-Israel relations based on two principles: a continued U.S. commitment to Israel’s right to exist and the creation of a Palestinian state. With a 10-year memorandum of understanding signed under Barack Obama soon to expire, Jeffries wrote that the next agreement should “strictly adhere to our human rights laws and values” and acknowledge Israel’s ability to afford its own weapons.
Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the third-highest-ranking House Democrat, joined Jeffries in opposing the amendment. “It’s clear that the Netanyahu administration has done everything they can to isolate Israel, and we need to ensure that we are building more friends in the region, not having fewer,” Aguilar told a press conference. He acknowledged that “there needs to be a change in the relationship moving forward with Israel” but downplayed the impact of the primary dynamics on his strategy, saying, “We’re not thinking about what a Democratic candidate is going to say in December after they’re sworn in … that’s not part of the calculus.”
Progressive Caucus Chair Greg Casar of Texas took the opposite position. In a letter to caucus members obtained by the Guardian, Casar said he would vote yes on the amendment and encouraged his colleagues to join him. “The American people are crying out for an end to US tax dollars subsidizing Israel’s military,” he wrote, adding that “the Democratic party needs a new approach to Israel and Palestine.”
The issue has reshaped primary contests across the country. In Colorado, longtime Rep. Diana DeGette lost her party’s nomination last month to Democratic socialist Melat Kiros. In New York, incumbents Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat fell to democratic socialist primary challengers who criticized their stance on Israel. In Missouri, freshman Rep. Wesley Bell faces a primary challenge from Cori Bush, the former congresswoman he ousted in 2024 with heavy spending from pro-Israel groups. The race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters in Michigan has also featured the issue, with former public health official Abdul El-Sayed criticizing opponent Haley Stevens for her support of Israel.